Olympics: Australia smash world record in womens 200m free relay win

Thursday, 14 August 2008

BEIJING - Australia smashed the world record by almost six seconds in swimming away with the women's 4x200metres freestyle relay gold medal at the Beijing Olympics on Thursday.

The Australians set a blistering pace to hit the wall in seven minutes 44.31 seconds and wipe 5.78secs off the record of 7:50.09 held by the United States at last year's world championships in Melbourne.

China took the silver medal in 7:45.93 ahead of the United States in 7:46.33.

The Australian team -- Stephanie Rice (1:56.60), Bronte Barratt (1:56.58), Kylie Palmer (1:55.22) and Linda MacKenzie (1:55.91) -- had control for most of the race.

It was Rice's third gold medal in the Beijing pool following her medley double win with all her gold medals coming in world record time.